Vulnerable
by Clogallie
Summary: As a meticulous person, Naminé has had a relatively painless life...up until a few months ago, when she started feeling someone else's pain. Though that isn't even the worst part - it's the fact that this person is supposed to be her 'soulmate.'
1. Part One

**Vulnerable**

* * *

 _Part ONE_

"Oww - _oww_!"

"Oh my god Naminé are you okay?"

"I - _ah, shit!_ "

I drop the pencil in my hand and gingerly caress my right arm, trying to massage away the pain. This goddamn sudden pain is making me squirm and squeal and whine like a helpless child. What the hell?

"Naminé? Naminé, what happened?"

"I'm - I'm fine, Kairi," I reassure, raising my free hand to hold her back. Trying to swallow another pitiful whimper, I bite down on the bottom of my lip, just enough to barely draw blood. Oh god, please, this pain just needs to _go away…_

"Uh, should I get you anything? Water, some towels, or...or a teacher! I'll go get a teacher! Right, Naminé, wait right here!"

"No, wait, Kai - !"

Before I can stop her, she's dashing out of the room like it's caught fire.

I sigh to myself, trying to manage the pain mentally. Mind over matter, right? Just imagine all the pain gathering in one point, and boxing it up to store away. And then breath in, breath out - repeat, breath in, breath out…

Goddammit this technically isn't even my pain, why is it so bad?

"Ms. Lockhart, she's here!"

I hear Kairi's voice before she comes back in the room with the art teacher in tow. Ms. Lockhart looks rather concerned with the situation. Thankfully, most of the pain has subsided, so I can talk like a normal human being now.

"I'm fine," I quickly repeat my previous words. "Kairi, you didn't have to bother Ms. Lockhart."

"I'm here for you guys - you wouldn't 'bother' me. What's wrong, Naminé?"

I look from Kairi's wide eyes, shimmering with concern, to Ms. Lockhart's curious expression. So I draw a deep breath wondering how to phrase things.

"I - uh, I think it's _that person_."

"Who?" Ms. Lockhart prompts.

"Oh, it's him?" Kairi exclaims, voice perking up. "Why didn't you say so, Naminé?"

"Well, I was gonna when you ran out on me."

"Who's him?" Ms. Lockhart repeats.

I'm about to explain when Kairi beats me to the chase. "You know, the one!" she exclaims. Seeing Ms. Lockhart's furrowed brows, she continues to elaborate. "It's Naminé's person! You know. Her _soulmate_!"

I cringe at the word 'soulmate.' It's so... _cheesy_. "Who says they're my soulmate?" I protest.

Ms. Lockhart chuckles. "Oh, Naminé, I didn't realize you're already sharing someone's pain!"

"It sucks," I groan, though my forearm feels better now. There's just a dull sensation occasionally stirring up in my nerves, nothing I can't handle. Considering how some of the pain seizures go, this is totally manageable.

"Do you know who it is?" Ms. Lockhart asks.

"No, and they should be damn grateful for that fact," I growl. But since she brought it up, I'm not gonna pass on an opportunity to rant about it. "Ms. Lockhart, do you know how many pain seizures I've had just in this month? _Sixteen!_ Of course, some were just scrapes and bumps, but I'm pretty sure this one time, they actually _broke their leg_! Do you know how painful it was?"

Thinking about all the injuries I've 'suffered' this past month gets me worked up, cause I don't deserve any of this. I've always been a safe person, and I take care of myself very well. I almost never get sick, and I've never broken a bone. But now, I'm suffering these ghost injuries left and right, and what am I supposed to do? Just _suffer silently?_

"Well, when'd it start?" Ms. Lockhart asks.

"At the beginning of summer!" Kairi chirps. "We were shopping at the mall when she suddenly fell to the ground! I mean, she couldn't even walk! I had to drag her to the car!"

Way to tell our teacher one of my most embarrassing life stories, Kairi. I swear, I probably looked like I was throwing a tantrum like a five-year-old kid. I doubt I'll ever live down that moment.

"I swear, that person must be a klutz or something," I grumble. "Just in this past month, I've gotten hurt more times than I've been injured in my whole _life_."

Ms. Lockhart chuckles lightheartedly. "I'm surprised you're starting so early! I mean I guess it's not unheard of, but I remember reading somewhere that the average age you start sharing pain with someone is in your twenties."

"You just started last year, right? After Mr. Strife jammed his fingers in the staff room door?" Kairi smiles sweetly. "You two are so cute!"

Ms. Lockhart laughs awkwardly. "Yeah, how did you…?"

"Don't ask," I chime in. "She knows _everything_." I pause for a moment. "But you've known Mr. Strife for a long time, right? How did you all of a sudden start feeling his pain?"

Ms. Lockhart shrugs. "Nothing changed from my point-of-view. I mean, no one really knows how this pain-sharing thing works anyways."

"When's the wedding, Ms. Lockhart?" Kairi teases with a sly grin.

Ms. Lockhart smirks in return. "It's just a rumor that the person who shares your pain is your soulmate. If you look at Cloud and I - I mean, Mr. Strife and I are still just friends."

"But I know so many people who share each other's pain that got together!" Kairi exclaims.

"Well, I think it's definitely something that can bring people together," Ms. Lockhart reasons. "In a way, it's an another layer of understanding between two people. But it's a little hasty to say that that person is your one and only. Maybe...they're special to you in some way, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're your partner for life."

I have to give Ms. Lockhart some props here - partially because I really hope my dumbass 'soulmate' on the other end of this pain-sharing link isn't actually the person I have to spend the rest of my life with. All I'd get is a life of pain. Literally.

"But it's _sooooo_ romantic!" Kairi swoons. "I'm so jealous, Naminé - I wish I could feel my soulmate's pain too!"

I snort. "Yeah, you say that now, but wait till you actually have to endure it. Every single time. What the hell, are they getting into fights everyday?"

"Maybe he's a football player?" Kairi suggests. "Oh my gosh, Naminé, what if it's Tidus?"

"That guy knows very well how to protect himself when the players all jump on him." I roll my eyes. Like I want to be associated with our school's linebacker. "Have you ever seen him with more than a few scrapes and bruises?"

"Good point...oh, oh, what if he's in a gang?"

"Which is not a good thing, Kairi."

"I know, I know!"

"Then why do you sound so excited?"

"Anyways, girls," Ms. Lockhart interrupts, "I'm glad to hear you're okay, Naminé. If you ever need help managing the pain, I can give you a few pointers. But since you don't know who it is, it's mostly just how to live with it."

I sigh, having resigned myself to this fate months ago. "Thanks, Ms. Lockhart, I'll take you up on that sometime."

"Alright, girls, I trust you to lock up after you're done. I have to meet another student now, so I'll see you two tomorrow!"

"Yeah, you can count on us!" Kairi says confidently. "Bye Ms. Lockhart!"

"Bye," I parrot, waving as Ms. Lockhart leaves the room.

"What're you doing?" Kairi asks once it's just us.

Using just my left hand, I start cleaning up my workspace. "Well, I can't use paint anymore cause of _that dumbass_ , so I'm gonna go home. You ready to go?"

"Oh, yeah! But isn't this due at the end of the week?"

"Hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow. C'mon, I'm starving - let's get something to eat." Putting away all my art supplies, I store my unfinished piece away for safekeeping till another day. I turn towards my chair, reaching for my bag when I notice it's not where I left it. Looking up, I realize Kairi's already got my backpack over her shoulder. Smiling like a child who has just won hide and seek, she beckons for me to follow her out the door.

Even with the numbing pain in my arm, I can't resist a dumb smile.

* * *

That dumb smile gets me through the otherwise _painful_ week.

The next day, halfway through class, a piercing sensation breaks out in the same area on my forearm, making me actually yelp aloud in the middle of a presentation. After composing a lame excuse about a spider and getting scolded by the teacher, I manage to rein in the discomfort for the remainder of class.

What the hell are they doing on the other end, _deliberately poking at it_?

When the bell rings, I dash out and head towards the bathroom, running cold water down my arm. It doesn't really work, but it's the only thing I can think of doing. People passing by must think I have a problem or something, just scrubbing at my arm like a hypochondriac.

"...Naminé?"

"Huh? Oh, uh, hey Kairi," I stammer, turning towards her as she enters the bathroom. "Oh, sorry I forgot to text you. I just - ahh..."

There's another split second of pain, but I swallow it with a wince and quickly summon a smile. Judging by Kairi's expression, there's no point in lying to her now.

"It's, uhh...them," I say lamely, getting pretty annoyed with this explanation myself. It's not right that someone unrelated to me gets to screw with my life like this.

"...oh!" Kairi's eyes widen slightly. "Again? Seriously, what _is_ he doing on his end?"

I appreciate the contrast in her attitude from yesterday - because there's nothing romantic about being in pain. "Ahh, it's a little better...sorry, let's go grab something to eat before lunch period ends."

The prospect of food cheers up the both of us. Not that I have high standards for our cafeteria food, but the weather's growing cold really fast and there's nothing that warms you up like a hot meal.

Unfortunately, the line's as long as ever, so we're unhappily stuck waiting for awhile. Just as Kairi and I are discussing whether we should venture off-campus to eat, a voice calls out Kairi's name. Naturally, I turn towards the source as well.

A bright 'oh!' escapes Kairi's lips, while my eyes narrow suspiciously. I don't recognize the brown-haired boy headed towards us with a wide smile on his face - and I thought I knew all of Kairi's friends. Our high school isn't that big, and a lot of us have been stuck together since junior high, so this stranger acting all friendly with Kairi is making me uncomfortable.

"...totally forgot you told me, I'm so sorry Sora!"

"Nah that's okay, I know the start of school's like crazy for everyone. I'm just glad I finally get to see you!"

I clear my throat expectantly, but the two seem very absorbed in their conversation. A tug on Kairi's sleeve finally gets her attention, and I settle with a very practical, "The line's moving forward."

"Oh my gosh, let me introduce you guys! Sora, this is my best friend Naminé! Naminé, this is Sora. He just transferred here from Destiny Islands!"

Sora beams, revealing his pearly whites. Must've taken years of braces - no way he was _born_ like that. He then sticks out a hand. "Nice to meet you, Naminé!"

Why so formal? Of course, I choose to not voice that thought. I stare for awhile at the wrist brace he's wearing - for what I wonder? Carpel tunnel? Maybe he's a hardcore gamer. Realizing I'm just staring at his extended hand, I reach out with mine and shake his. Looking up at him, I catch something flash across his face so quickly that I barely even register it. A flicker of discomfort in my right arm provides further distraction from analyzing that microexpression. At least there's no full-blown misplaced cry of pain this time.

He releases my hand, which I let fall back to my side. "So you know Sora from elementary school?" I ask Kairi.

"Yup!"

"Well actually," Sora interrupts, "we've known each other since we were like five."

"Oh yeah, that's what I meant! I still remember in elementary school when I - "

" - fell from the monkey bars - !"

" - just laughed at my bloody nose! I mean…"

I'm a little put off by how engrossed they are in their conversation, leaving me awkwardly dawdling by the side. I'll let Kairi off the hook since she's not the most observant person, but can this Sora figure from her distant past stop hogging up her time? I haven't talked to her for the whole day! Lunch is supposed to be our chance to catch up!

And they have the most random tangents, like they'll be talking about that time Sora scraped his knee real bad when he was young and then they'll jump to how many bandaids he's used in the past week. I'm almost a little jealous at how easily they digress from reminiscing and then jump right back in. Their friendship has a cadence that's probably the direct product of time, something Kairi and I can't emulate.

"...totally accident-prone, Mom always complains about the hospital bills I rack up."

"Oh god, I still remember that time you called me and said you were in the hospital, but you left out the details so I told my mom, 'Sora's dying we need to go to the hospital!' So we probably speeded all the way through downtown and then we found out you just sprained your ankle!"

Sora cackles - he has a funny laugh.

"Oh right, my mom was so pissed at me, but your mom kept saying it was your fault for exaggerating."

"God, I was actually on the verge of tears! All because of you!"

Kairi pouts at an equally smiley Sora. So she feigns an angry expression, grabbing Sora's arm and pushing it aside.

"Ack!"

"Oww."

I pause, wondering why someone's mimicking my voice. A moment later, my mind realizes that I had echoed Sora, my painful exclamation coming milliseconds after his.

"Hey, you okay?" Kairi asks concernedly, hand hovering over Sora's right arm.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I actually tripped on the sidewalk yesterday. Thankfully I got away with just a few scrapes and a sprained wrist." He raises his hand with the brace, grinning while showing off his injury.

Yesterday. Arm injury.

 _Oh shit._

"Wait...Naminé, are you okay?" Kairi asks, turning towards me. "I heard you cry out too, what happened?"

I open my mouth to say something but no words come out. How am I supposed to convey this epiphany to Kairi?

"I - I - "

My eyes drift towards Sora, and there's a bottomless pit of words I want to say to him. " _Y_ _ou_!"

"Me?" he repeats, pointing at himself.

"Yeah, you! What the hell is your problem?" Before I can think through my actions, I raise a hand and bring it down on his forearm to shove away such an exaggerated response. He of course yelps on cue, and what can I do but mimic his actions?

"Ahh! Hey, I said, I'm injured - "

"Oww!" I exclaim, drawing back my hand and curling it towards my chest.

"Oh... _oh!"_ Kairi exclaims. She looks from Sora to me and then back to Sora.

"What's going on?" Sora asks, thoroughly confused.

"Wait, Sora…" Kairi breathes, "are you Naminé's soulmate?"

* * *

 **A/N: Derp what am I doing? (That's like all I ask myself nowadays.)**

 **Got some inspiration while browsing tumblr, cause apparently soulmate!AUs are a thing. I'm actually a little iffy on the whole premise, which hopefully I've conveyed somewhat realistically through Naminé's narration.**

 **This'll be a short series, so look out for the next installment!**


	2. Part Two

_Part TWO_

"Last week, what happened to your foot?"

"Last week...was it over the weekend? I was playing DDR at my cousin's place, and I wasn't paying attention so I accidentally stubbed my toe on the table leg. But hey, I still finished that round with a B+!"

...I'm not sure which part of his sentence I should pay attention to: he plays DDR, or he kept playing after he stubbed toe. Or the fact that he stubbed his toe.

Anyways, moving on...

"Okay...what about your shoulder two weeks ago? It was like Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon I think." A sudden throbbing pain had made me drop my entire paint palette in the middle of art class, not only drawing everyone's attention but also ruining my favorite pair of white shorts. My heart breaks a little thinking about it again.

"Hmm...I don't really remember...I mean, I get hurt like every other day," Sora chuckles.

"Yeah, _I've noticed_."

He finally stops mid-laugh and shoots me a look. I take that to mean he realizes I'm not amused by this at all.

"Mmm! Hey, you guys should try the fries! They're really tasty today!" Kairi interrupts, pointing at the packet of fries in the center of the table. "Wonder what the cafeteria ladies did different this time?"

Kairi's general ineptness at reading the atmosphere is just a given at this point. Eager for a distraction, I reach for it when Sora's hand meets me halfway. Looking at him, I realize that he's finally wiped that dumb smirk from his face - now, he's frowning.

We don't exchange any words as he finally relents, drawing his hand back a little. I grab a large handful, ignoring his stern look as I take most of the garlic topping. Sucks to suck, Sora.

"Also, what happened to your head a few days ago?" I ask, recalling the sudden migraine that had originated near my temple. I had a history test the next day, and studying was next to impossible with that headache.

"...I got hit by a baseball."

I choke on my fries, cause this is too much. Kairi laughs out loud as well, patting Sora on the back. "Of course that'd happen to you!" she chirps.

I'm laughing more out of disbelief that my life has come down to getting telepathically hit on the head by a baseball...I mean seriously, _what are the chances?_

"Like I said, accident-prone," Sora repeats, grinning at Kairi. He thinks I'm distracted while chugging water, but I don't miss the fact that he swipes a bunch of fries from my pile. When our eyes meet, he doesn't even look sheepish but has the audacity to _smirk_. While eating my fries!

Unfortunately, I'm preoccupied with removing the chunk of food lodged in my windpipe - otherwise, I would've taught him a lesson about taking my food.

He suddenly laughs aloud. "Wait, did you already starting feeling things in June? Cause when I broke my leg - "

" _You actually broke your leg?"_ I exclaim. "That hurt like hell! I was basically handicapped for an entire day!"

"Yeah, me too. Actually I was handicapped for like three months."

"How in the world did you break your leg?"

"I fell down the stairs."

" _You fell down the -_ "

"Oh my god, Sora, you fell down the stairs?" Kairi exclaims. "How?"

My words of protest die on the tip of my tongue, and an unsettling feeling swirls in my stomach...which I think is actually _guilt_. Okay, while I was mildly inconvenienced by my pain seizures, he actually tumbled down the stairs? Maybe I'm overreacting a little...

"Oh, so, my brother stole my Game Boy, and he was showing off how he was taller than me by like five centimeters, so he held it over his head and I jumped to reach for it and then - "

"...are you _serious?_ " I hiss. "The way you said it, I thought someone pushed you or something!"

"That's crazy, why would someone push me down the stairs?"

"I don't know - ask yourself!"

"Man, Naminé, I do feel bad for you," Kairi finally says.

"Thank you," I chirp, glad to have Kairi on my side.

"I mean, seriously, this guy ends up in the hospital like every other month." She gives Sora a gentle shove, eyes immediately widening and checking that we're both okay. "Sorry," she mumbles, caressing the area that she hit.

Sora smoothly shoves her hand away. "It's not like I'm made of glass, Kairi," he says with a grin.

"Yeah, well, now Naminé feels everything you feel, so I gotta be extra careful."

My heart swells at Kairi's words, so I smile and hope that conveys some of my gratitude.

"Yeah," I add, "and if you're getting hurt for these random reasons, I guess I'll have to accept my fate of a very painful life...oh, how I miss the good old days when nothing ever hurt for no reason…"

Sora scoffs. "Did you forget this thing works both ways?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you not know your cramps are _killer_?"

...

It literally takes my mind ten seconds to wrap itself around Sora's words. "You - !" I instantly draw a deep breath and remember to keep my voice hush-hush, " _are you talking about my - my monthly cycle?"_

"Yeah," he proceeds, his voice at normal volume, "your period. Shark week. Riding that crimson wave."

Oh my - we aren't actually, are we...? Yeah - yeah, we actually are. Wow. I'm cringing so bad I'm afraid my face will permanently look like this.

"Oh god, I don't even wanna know where you got those from," I mumble.

"My mom," he answers honestly, taking more of my fries, but now there's legitimately a more important matter at hand. "She was the one who realized that the pain you always get at the end of the month is probably - "

"Can we _not_ ," I hiss quietly, "talk about my... _period_? We're in the cafeteria, for god's sake!"

"Well, I'm just saying. You kept going on and on like you got the short end of the stick, when I have to go through this too - "

"Oh please, my thing is nothing compared to all these mini-accidents you get in every other day - "

"Nothing? It's like I'm _dying!_ And - "

" - just exaggerating. They can get kinda bad, but it's nothing compared to a broken bone - "

"...have to _die_ once a month and that's not fun, just F-Y-I."

"Wow, Sora," Kairi interrupts with a cheerful laugh, "who knew your soulmate would be Naminé?"

The word 'soulmate' makes me cringe again. "Remember what Ms. Lockhart said? Sharing pain doesn't actually mean anything," I remind her.

"C'mon, rumors are based on some truth," Kairi says with a sly grin. "You two are meant to be! Oh my god, this is so exciting! Two of my friends are soulmates!"

"Eh, I'm with Naminé on this," Sora says. "The whole thing doesn't make much sense in my opinion. We just met, and she's 'the one'? I haven't even met everyone I'm gonna meet in my life, but I'm supposed to spend the rest of my life with her? I mean, for all I know…" He turns towards me and looks up and down, like he's sizing me up for a fight. I hope he knows I'm confident I can take him.

"Maybe she liking scaring little kids for fun," Sora suggests casually.

"Excuse _you_! You probably glue pennies onto the ground and watch kids try to pick them up!"

"What? Well, you probably glue _quarters_!"

"No I don't! I _like_ kids, okay?"

"Sure. See, my point is, I know literally nothing about her...except the fact that she has killer cramps - "

" _Cafeteria_!" I exclaim loudly to drown out his words.

"Maybe if they were less painful - "

I laugh sarcastically. "It's not like I can control them - have you taken a biology class?"

" - either way, I find it hard to believe that my soulmate is sitting across from me right now."

He looks at me and I hold his gaze. There's not even the rhapsodized 'spark' or 'instant connection' - though I know they're largely a metaphoric construct of popular media. Yeah, it's also hard for me to believe that this person in front of me is my...soulmate.

Barf.

"What're you looking at?" Sora asks.

"What? What are you looking at?"

"I'm looking cause you're looking at me!"

"No, I'm looking cause you're looking!"

"See?" Kairi chirps. "You guys are friends already!"

Sora and I manage to respond almost simultaneously with a crisp,

"We're not friends."

* * *

A few weeks later, when I'm finally not swamped with homework and assignments, I decide to take Ms. Lockhart up on her offer to discuss pain sharing. She's mildly amused the entire time I'm explaining my situation, chuckling while I'm trying to talk about something serious, until I finally call her out on it.

"Is it really that funny for other people watching?" I ask. "Watching me and Sora in pain at the same time?"

Ms. Lockhart begins laughing but catches herself this time. "I'm sorry, Naminé, I'm not trying to make light of the situation or anything. It's just...interesting because you two tend to clash, and it's like you're only in agreement when it comes to your pain."

"Is this the universe's idea of an ironic joke?" I roll my eyes. "Cause I'm not amused."

"Sorry, carry on. What were you saying?"

"Oh! So, like, I gave up on getting Sora to be more careful, because he's like not even trying. Do you know any other way to reduce the pain?"

Ms. Lockhart sighs. "That's honestly the one surefire way to go about it. I mean, no one's figured out mechanistically how the whole thing works, so - "

" _OW_!" I shriek. I'd been feeling intermittent strikes of pain on the inside of my wrist for the past few minutes, but this last one had been too painful to ignore. "I'm sorry, just give me a moment…" I pull out my phone and compose a quick text that reads clearly: _WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING STOP._

"Is it…?" Ms. Lockhart trails off.

"Yeah." I sigh, stuffing my phone back in my pocket. "Ow!" I complain again, this time the pain slightly more bearable but still too sudden.

"Here, try this," Ms. Lockhart suggests, handing me a hot pack. "Hold it over where it hurts."

"What does this do?" I ask curiously, following her instructions. Not long after, another moment of pain strikes but it's considerably duller this time. "Oh! How does this work?"

Ms. Lockhart shrugs. "I mean, I think the heat blocks out some of the pain receptors to your body or something? You can ask your bio teacher for more details."

"You mean Mr. Strife?" I tease with wiggly eyes.

"Is this a thing among you guys?" Ms. Lockhart questions with narrowed eyes. "Teasing me and Mr. Strife?"

"Just me, Kairi...and the rest of our grade," I answer with a sweet smile. Another jolt of pain and I'm at my limit - not for pain, but for patience. "Excuse me," I say before standing up, turning around, and dialing a familiar number.

"What - "

"Didn't I tell you to _stop_?"

"Gosh, I hope you felt that. You probably busted my eardrum."

"Stop exaggerating, I didn't feel anything!" I ignore the tingling sensation in my ear. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Ay, we're just playing rock-paper-scissors. Whoever wins gets to slap the loser's wrist."

"Lemme take a guess: you're losing like crazy, aren't you?"

"Oh hey. How'd you figure?" he responds, voice dripping with sarcasm. "No man, it's not my mom. Hey, you can say hi to the reason I'm super grumpy these days. You know, I didn't realize your PMS - "

" _Sora_!" I shriek, ignoring the laughter from at least two people on his end.

"He's just trying to be funny," an unfamiliar voice speaks up. "I'm Riku by the way."

...oh my god. He's friends with Riku? This is so embarrassing. Riku's a well-liked guy in our grade, though I don't know him that well. Great, this is how Sora's slowly ruining my impression in all our classmates' eyes.

"...still couldn't get out of dishwashing even when I told my mom I'm PMS-ing. It's not fair, she always gets a pass for a whole week!" Sora complains.

"Hey, sorry, I totally forgot you're stuck with this guy," Riku speaks up. "We'll stop playing."

"What?" Sora protests. "You're just saying that cause you're losing."

"C'mon man. And you should've told me about Naminé, I totally forgot."

"What? We can't play cause I've got this person stuck on the other end with me?" Sora complains. "What next, I can't ride rollercoasters? No more eating contests? You might as well tell me to stop living."

"Thank you, Riku," I chime in. "And Sora, stop being a drama king. Why don't you guys do something that involves less physical activity? Maybe try...chess?"

…

"You know how to play chess man?"

"Well - no. You?"

"No. Your idea sucks, Naminé."

"Well, your life sucks, Sora," I return. "Keep your hands to yourself, and don't you dare hurt your hands for the next few days. I have an assignment due for art, and you better not screw this up for me."

"Okay, okay, I'll be careful," Sora says nonchalantly. "But you do know that all these accidents happen _to_ me. I can't help it."

"Just - try." I sigh. "Bye."

"Everything okay?" Ms. Lockhart's voice actually scares me a little, since I'd forgotten she's in the room. Smiling sheepishly, I sit back down.

"Yeah, just...dealing with the situation. I mean, I guess it's a good thing that I know who my person is. At least now I can tell him to stop doing dumb stuff."

Ms. Lockhart chuckles. "Yeah, I noticed Cloud - Mr. Strife, he's a little more careful with himself after we found out I share his pain."

"I wish Sora were like that...he doesn't even think before he gets in all these accidents." I sigh helplessly. "This whole thing sucks - I mean, now I have to live life with double the pain."

"Well, you've been focusing a lot on the drawback," Ms. Lockhart muses. "Like they say, look on the bright side. Have you ever thought about maybe why we share pain with someone?"

"The universe was sadistic and bored?"

"Interesting concept, but let's stick with something a little more concrete. Try to think about what's changed since you started sharing pain with Sora."

Ms. Lockhart has to leave after that, so I'm left with my own thoughts. Which I seriously think about the whole way home. But discovering Sora's my person hasn't changed much in my life: I still go to school, I still hang out with Kairi, I still suffer pain seizures at the most inconvenient times. I mean, I guess I can now hunt Sora down and rant the hell out to him. He's usually in pain as well, so my magnanimous conscience is merciful and cuts rant time in half (I could probably go on for an hour or so).

Can't he take better care of himself? That's all I'm asking for.

("Maybe when your periods become a little more bearable," had been his response early on.

I'd pinched my wrist, making him wince in pain. His hands had reached to caress that area, but shielded by his wrist brace, there wasn't much he could do.

"You - you're masochistic!" he'd pointed out.

"Whatever works," I'd responded before turning on my heel and walking away.)

Like I said, since meeting Sora...life goes on. How are things any different for the better?

Just as I'm forgetting about all the technicalities behind this pain-sharing business, a few months later, I get my answer to Ms. Lockhart's question.

* * *

"Seriously, I'm balling with my friends, and there's this cute girl in my history class watching, so can you get ahold of yourself? What is it, your cramps again?"

"...this is the girl's bathroom, Sora."

"Yeah, whatever, it's like 5:00 pm so everyone's gone home."

"H - how'd you find me?"

"I called Kairi, and she said you were heading to the bathroom before she left for her game. Which was like twenty minutes ago...so, does it still hurt? Don't you usually take painkillers if it's this bad?"

"...I'll be fine. Ju - just give me a few minutes."

"Okay, I think I can still get a few minutes in - wait, are you...are you crying?"

I inhale shakily, hands pressed against the cold bathroom stall's wall. But a hiccup later, the dams break and I'm a sobbing mess again. One thought repeatedly echoes in my mind.

 _Goddammit, Xion._

* * *

 **A/N: I'm super excited about the warm support for this short series! Here's part two, and let me know what you think. Exploring the ramifications of soulmates and sharing pain is actually a lot of fun.**

 **I've actually hit somewhat of a crossroads in my writing, so if anyone's willing to hear my thought process, leave a message!**

 **I only have three chapters planned out for this story, which means the next part is the last part...but we'll see! ^^**


	3. Part Three

**Part THREE**

Clutching the toilet bowl, I lean forward and puke.

"N - Naminé?" Sora stammers. "Are you okay? Was that...did you just throw up?"

His concerns are pretty low on my list of priorities now. Lifting my head, I close my eyes and inhale through my nose. I can almost hear Dr. Farrell's voice in my head: _don't hold back, but when you're ready, remember that you can be in control of your own body._

I'm in control. _I'm in control_.

"Naminé? Naminé!"

My eyelids fly open, and the rising feeling in the back of my throat barely gives me enough time to reach the toilet bowl.

"Oh my god, what's going on? This isn't supposed to happen during your period, right? Is it food poisoning? Last time my brother had some bad sushi and he could only have porridge for three days - "

"Sora," I say (in a pretty polite tone, given the situation), " _shut up_."

He quickly falls quiet, but I realize his silence is actually even more unnerving. The back of my throat tightens again, but I'm all out of stomach content to throw up. Instead, I just gag over the toilet bowl.

"...I'll go get someone!" Sora exclaims, which instantly raises red flags in my mind. I quickly rise to my feet and flush away the vomit. Stepping out of the stall, I stare Sora down.

"Don't. Move," I command with a stern glare. He freezes in place as I walk around him to wash my hands. After splashing some cold water on my face, I look up at my reflection. Let's just say it isn't a pretty sight. Well, at least I think that's all the puking for now...

When I turn around, I'm surprised to see Sora still rooted in the exact same spot. Giving him a look, I mumble, "You can move now."

"...oh, okay," he exhales, sighing in relief. He seems to have taken my instructions a bit too seriously. Instantly the concern is back. "What happened? Are you okay? Is it the stomach flu or something? Naminé what is going on are you dying - "

"Slow down," I say, raising a hand to cut him off. "And - did you just say I'm dying?"

"I don't know what's going on, you need to tell me!"

He tends to exaggerate, but I'd never thought Sora's the overdramatic type.

"I'm fine," I say curtly. Sora's inquisitive stare suggests a simple dismissal won't chase him off. I sigh, trying to figure out the best way to explain my condition.

"Oh, wait!" he exclaims. Shooting him a curious look, I watch as he reaches into his backpack and retrieves his water bottle. Next thing I know, he's holding it out to me. I look at him with a confused expression. "For you to drink!" he explains. "Cause you need to drink water after you throw up, right?"

"...right," I concede, taking the bottle from him. "Thanks." I take a small sip. Sora waits patiently until I recap the bottle and return it to him. "Uh, I'm fine," I reassure him again when his brows remain furrowed.

"You just threw up, Naminé - how can you be _fine_? Why are you acting so calm after throwing up? Does this happen a lot?"

I snort - Kairi said the same things when I first explained things to her. I've been slowly forming this opinion over time, but this just solidifies my belief that the two of them are really similar.

The chuckle probably threw Sora off, cause now he's crossing his arms too. "Look," I begin, "believe me, I'm fine. Physically." He keeps looking at me, like he's waiting for me to continue. I draw a deep breath and sigh. It's probably best to explain things to him so he doesn't freak out when it happens again.

"I was a little anxious." I shrug. "That's all."

"...that's all?" Sora repeats. "You're the only person I know who _throws up_ when they get anxious!"

"Okay, you don't have to shout!" I return, getting defensive that he's raising his voice. Why does it sound like he's mad at me? "Really, that's it! My counselor says it's generalized anxiety disorder."

"You have GAD?" Sora exclaims. I'm kinda surprised he seems to know something about it.

"Yeah. So it's just a symptom of my GAD. Sorta annoying I guess." I shrug. "It's just something I have to deal with occasionally."

"Well...should I call Kairi?"

"No, don't distract her," I snap. "She's probably at her game already - and she really wants to win this time. It's her last year on JV volleyball."

"I know...so, wait, you're just not gonna tell her?"

"No, I - I will. Probably." Usually, it depends on how bad I feel and how busy we both are. Sometimes, it's just easier to wait it out by myself. Plus, Kairi becomes a real mamma bear over my condition. But telling her always does help me feel better.

I look up at Sora and notice he's looking back. Holding his stare, I wait for him to break the silence.

"...well, what made you anxious this time?" he asks.

I cross my arms, leveling a glare at him. "Why are you asking?"

"C'mon, don't forget I'm on the other end of this pain bond thing. A heads up would be nice."

Okay, that's a fair point. Totally forgot Sora has to feel his throat burn and eyes swell every time with me. I draw a breath, trying to figure out how to explain things as concisely as possible.

"So...I have a sister. Her name's Xion."

"Xion...okay, your sister. Go on."

I hesitate for a moment, still unsure if I should tell him everything. I've only ever told Kairi about the situation, and I've known Sora for...a few months? This is all a little too quick, too sudden.

But Sora's still waiting, watching with those big blue eyes, and I don't know if it's because of the weather, or the way he looks at me, or how he reminds me so much of Kairi, that words start falling off my tongue.

"She's sick. Like really sick. She's always been kinda weak, but then things got really bad. Mom took her to the hospital, but they had to transfer her to the bigger one in Twilight Town to see the specialist there. She's in the hospital like 90% of the time, and the doctors can't figure out what exactly is wrong. And she - " I inhale sharply, the thought making me nauseous again, but I manage to keep it down with a few deep breaths. After steadying myself, I continue. "She...worries me. So I throw up."

Sora nods slowly, but his face looks like he still doesn't really understand. "So...you're anxious about your sister?"

"Yeah."

"So whenever you think about her, you throw up?"

"It's not like that. Cause then I'd be throwing up all the time. It's just...sometimes she isn't doing so well. Mom thinks she's being sneaky but I know that's what she means when she asks when can I visit the hospital. So I get super paranoid wondering what's wrong, and sorta throw up till I get to see her." I gulp, deciding to take some initiative at this point. "So yeah, sorry in advance. Might be a couple more spells of this for a week or two."

"...God, Naminé, that's not - I - " Sora sighs frustratedly, though I'm not sure why. Shouldn't I be the one flustered by the situation?

"...I'm sorry," he finally mumbles.

Sensing a familiar tone in his voice, I straighten my back and clear my throat. "We don't need your pity or anything. I mean, sure it's tough, but it's not like Xion has cancer or some fatal disease. The doctors can't fix things yet, but they're getting there. They've done a pretty good job for the past 10 years."

"...right. It's still hard." He summons a sympathetic smile. "Not just for Xion, but you too. You have to deal with that and your anxiety."

I snort. "Oh, you think it's hard for _me_? I get to go to school, hang out with my friends, and run around under the sun. Life's not hard for me."

"Life's not easy either." He grimaces. "Sorry, I really don't know what to say. I'm sorry."

"...it's okay."

Suddenly, I'm reeling from the situation and grow extremely self-conscious. How'd we end up telling sob stories in the girl's bathroom? How did an anxiety attack lead me to share so much with someone who was still a stranger a few months ago? How did I end up leaving myself so vulnerable in front of someone?

"So, what are you doing now?" Sora asks.

Still considering the ramifications of my actions, I blank out at his question. "Huh?"

"Are you going home?" he asks.

"...yeah. Yeah, probably. I wanna take a shower."

"Okay. You'll be okay on the bus?"

"Yeah...probably, I dunno. I mean, I can't really control it."

"Right, right. Hmm." I'm not sure what he's thinking about, but it probably doesn't have to do with me, right?

"I have some more water bottles in my locker. Want one?" he offers.

"Huh? Oh, uh...yeah. That'd help, probably. Thanks."

"No problem. Let's go then."

Quietly, I follow Sora out of the bathroom. I'm not sure what to say at this point, and as more time passes, the silence just grows even more stifling.

"Here," he says, "oh, and take this too. You should replenish electrolytes and all that, right?" He hands me bottled water and a sports drink, which I awkwardly juggle and fit into my bag.

Somewhere between walking to the lockers and taking a sip of the sports drink, I finally start to feel some relief. I think I'm sorta just past the point of trying to figure out if telling Sora was the right thing to do. He knows now, and it feels nice that there's one less barrier between us. I can roll with whatever happens next. The fact that things ended up this way...maybe it was just meant to be.

"Thanks, Sora." I smile as I realize how helpful he's being. "Do I wanna know why you know how to take care of people after they puke?"

"Nope," he says, popping his 'p' and smirking.

That makes me chuckle a little. Nonetheless, I notice Sora quickly returns to a worried expression. So I reach over and pat him on the shoulder, which seems to shock him a little.

"C'mon!" I chirp. "Loosen up. You're gonna have to get used to all this vomiting."

Sora manages a nervous grin. "Just mentally preparing myself for when it happens again." He pauses, like he's afraid he's crossed a line or something, but hey I don't mind. I really don't.

Even I'm kinda surprised that I've accepted things so quickly.

"I don't know what you're expecting - a heads up? I can barely make it to the toilet most of the times. And hey, given how accident-prone you are, this is just a taste of your own medicine! Have a shot at feeling what it's like to be me!"

"Hey, you know, you really need to stop exaggerating how often I get hurt. I mean, it's only occasionally - "

" _Occasionally?_ Seriously, next time, I'm gonna record how often you get hurt - occasionally? Occasionally is like, 2, 3 times a month."

"You're in pain at least 5 times a month! And it always starts right on the dot! It's like always the 3rd of the month, which is kinda creepy - is it supposed to be that on time?"

" _Stop talking about my period in public!"_

We quickly fall back to our usual familiar rhythm, and I'm glad things aren't as awkward as I thought they'd be. Either Sora's just a really good listener, or I'm getting less sensitive about these things.

...neither seems likely, so I'm a little stumped as to how things ended on such a not-low note. But hey, I guess my new philosophy in life is just gonna be to count my blessings and take what I'm given.

* * *

The next day at school, a familiar voice calls out to me in the hallway.

"Hey, Naminé!"

I blink, realizing it's Sora. "Hey. What's up? Kairi's not in my class this period."

"I know." He reaches into his bag, which confuses me a little. When he pulls out a water bottle, I accept it awkwardly.

"Stay hydrated!" he exclaims before dashing off in the direction he came from. I blink, mind still stuck on the bottle of water. But the bell rings, and I quickly stuff the bottle in my bag and run to class.

* * *

"Here you go."

"Huh?"

I look up from my notebook and notice Kairi, setting a bottle of water on my desk. "From Sora," she explains.

"Oh. Thanks." I awkwardly take the water from her. In a span of 2 days, Sora's given me at least 6 bottles of water. Somewhere along Bottle #4, I figured this is his way of looking out for me. Maybe he feels bad. Either way, every water delivery reminds me to finish the previous bottle soon, so I guess it is helping. I'm also throwing up a lot less this time round - does it have to do with drinking so much water? If I'd known, I could've done that a lot earlier.

"How'd you get Sora to buy water for you?" Kairi asks. "He's like the stingiest person I know."

I laugh. "I have him under my thumb, remember? All I have to do is..." Fake-slapping myself, I chuckle and Kairi laughs along.

"You guys are so weird."

"Not as weird as you."

"You're so mean, Naminé!"

"I know, love you too."

* * *

"Hey Kairi, hey Naminé!"

"Hi Sora!" Kairi chirps as the two of us head towards the cafeteria. "Whatcha up to?"

"Nothing much. Here you go, Naminé."

He hands me another water bottle, which I take wordlessly. At this point, I almost expect a bottle of water everytime I bump into him. Honestly, it's like his bag is bottomless.

"What's up with all the water?" Kairi asks, looking at me and Sora weirdly. "Is something going on between you two?"

I chuckle nervously and try to avoid Sora's gaze. I know he's looking at me with a raised brow and expression that reads: _you haven't told her yet?_

I chuckle and push Kairi towards the cafeteria. "C'mon, Kairi, let's get food before the line grows too long. Thanks, Sora!"

"Sure," he says,watching us go.

"Wait, something's going on, right? Naminé!" Kairi comes to a full stop just outside the cafeteria entrance. "You and Sora keep secrets from me?"

"It's not like that, Kairi." I sigh, not wanting to hurt her feelings. I mean, things just turned out this way…

"Is something wrong?" she asks, her tone adopting a softer tone. "What happened?"

I should've just told her sooner. I don't know why I didn't. Mentally smacking myself for it, I inhale deeply.

"I, uh, started vomiting again."

" _What?_ "

"Yeah, I mean, really, it's not a big deal. I'm fine," I insist, beginning the reassurances before she starts her endless questions. Of course, she still asks.

"Oh my _god_ , Naminé, why didn't you tell me? Are you okay? How are you feeling? Are you sick right now? Do you need anything? Water - oh, so that's what the water's for? Wait, how does Sora know about this?"

"He's stuck with me, remember?" I chuckle a little. "So when I, uh, first threw up earlier this week, he felt it and he was there."

"...oh." Kairi falls silent, which is atypical of her. I was ready for all the fussing and worrying, not this. "I guess...Sora took real good care of you, huh?"

"What? He's just been giving me a lot of water. A sports drink every now and then."

Kairi smiles. "Well, I mean, I didn't even notice you were...going through it again. I feel like such a bad friend…"

"No, no, Kairi! That's not it! I just, things _have_ been better this time round, I've been throwing up a lot less! It's my fault I didn't tell you! I was doing a lot better, you know?"

It's not until this moment after I've said it that I realize I _am_ doing a lot better this time. Usually I throw up at least three times a day, but in the past four days, I've only thrown up twice.

"...that's good," Kairi says, but she still seems a little downcast. "I'm glad you're feeling better this time. But...you should tell me these things in the future, okay? I still feel bad…"

"I'm sorry, Kairi, I should've, but it just - it just slipped my mind. I've only vomited twice this week, and I'm totally fine now, so…" Seeing Kairi sad makes me sad too. "Don't worry. I'm fine. I'm _good._ "

I give her a hug, which she reciprocates quite eagerly. In the end, I'm just glad Kairi's always on my side. That's all I can ask from her, I think.

"So, what's Sora's secret, hmm?" Kairi asks with narrowed eyes. "How's he magically making you feel so much better?"

I laugh, shrugging as well. "Who knows? Maybe he put something in the water."

"Is it a soulmates thing? Maybe, like, he splits the pain with you or something."

"This isn't a superpowers fanfic, Kairi."

"Okay, I know, I'm just kidding! Anyways, you told him about Xion?"

"...yeah. Yeah, I figured it'll probably happen again, so it's best to just tell him. I guess talking to him helped a little. Like when I first told you about it, you also really helped me feel a lot better. Hmm…"

"Maybe that's it," Kairi says. "You told someone about Xion, so you feel better about it."

"I don't think it's that simple," I return. "What does talking to someone have to do with me feeling better?"

"I mean, they understand you, right? It's hard being in pain by yourself, because you have no one to turn to. But when someone understands you and understands your pain, it's like they're your mental support. So you can face the pain knowing they're on your side."

I look at Kairi and try to grasp her larger-than-life statement. All on a Friday afternoon outside our school cafeteria. Of course, only Kairi could do that.

"...or, you're _in love with him!_ " she teases.

 _Smack_.

"Oww!" Kairi complains, hand clutching her head. "Don't hit me!"

"Just helping you look for your soulmate, you know." I smile innocently, looking around curiously. "Hmm, guess they're not around."

"Naminé! You're so...so…!"

I laugh, cause Kairi can't even finish her sentence. "So charming? So considerate? Yes, I know. Don't worry, I'll find your soulmate for you. Now, time to get food," I say, shoving her into the cafeteria.

I spend a lot of time that night thinking about Kairi's words, how maybe it's not because of the water but the fact that Sora was there for me. I even think back to what Ms. Lockhart asked me months ago, about why we share pain with someone.

Maybe it's for you to help someone when they've let their guard down. Maybe it's to see how your pain can be your greatest strength. Maybe it's to show how sharing pain can be a chance to show you care.

Platitudes aside, maybe it comes down to what Kairi said: we just want to know someone understands.

* * *

A dull ache spreads throughout my chest, and though it's somewhat bearable, this pain feels a little different.

I quickly figure out it's Sora's pain, but that's not what's bothering me. His usual physical injuries come in more white hot bursts, but this churning sensation isn't what I'm used to sharing with him.

I pull out my phone and dial his number, waiting patiently as I count the number of rings. On a lazy Saturday afternoon, I'm so bored I'm about to hop on the 4-hour tram to visit Xion just for fun.

"...hello?" Sora's groggy voice responds. "Naminé, can I call you back - "

"What's wrong?" I cut to the chase, figuring there's no need for pretenses now.

"...what? You...you feel it too?"

"Yeah, Sora, and it hurts like shit." Clearing my throat, I remind myself to be a little gentler. "Are you okay?"

"...yeah, I - I'm fine, I just - sorry, gimme a sec."

I wait nervously, tapping my finger on the desk in sync with the ticking clock on my wall. Four seconds...twenty seconds...two minutes…

"Hello?" he says, clearing his throat.

"Yeah. What's up?" One hand massages my chest gently, trying to alleviate the ever present pain.

"How...how do you feel it? I'm not actually hurt or anything."

"I don't know. What happened, Sora? It feels like heartbreak or something." Oh, did I hit that nail on the head? I didn't know Sora was seeing anyone.

"No, it's not like that. I just - I just can't stop thinking about it, Naminé."

"About what?"

"About...why'd did that happen to him? What did he do wrong? He doesn't deserve that - no one deserves that...Naminé, it hurts. It really, _really_ hurts. What should I do?"

I can almost taste the desperation in his voice. And though I'm ready to help however I can, I don't know how. I don't even know what he's talking about. What if I say the wrong thing? What if I make things worse?

But...what if Sora's by himself right now? Thinking about all the times I've suffered in pain alone...that thought makes me even more worried.

"It's okay, Sora, so you're not physically hurt? Where are you right now? I'll go to you."

I draw a deep breath as the intensity of pain fluctuates, sometimes barely noticeable and sometimes piercing. I can't even begin to imagine what he's going through - but it doesn't matter. I'll share his pain, I'll understand his pain, I'll be on his side. Just like how he was there for me.

"Sorry," Sora apologizes.

"No, don't be. Sora, I've got you."

"I'm scared, Naminé."

"...me too. But hey, you're not alone. I'm on my way."

* * *

 **A/N: And...that's a wrap, folks! I'm a little iffy about the ending, but then I realized it might be because I've only ever written a handful of endings. I feel like there's so much more I wanna say, but I've gotta wrap things up somewhere.**

 **Just wanted to include a disclaimer that this story is purely fictional, and while I did try to do some research on GAD, the diagnosis criteria is really broad itself and vomiting was only occasionally included as a possible symptom. Therefore, please don't take details as facts, and make sure to consult a healthcare professional for more factual information. Also, always remember to reach out if you're suffering from poor mental health. You're never alone!**

 **I don't know if I did a good job explaining this soulmate!AU and depicting the concept of sharing pain in more concrete terms. But let me know if you have any questions or thoughts about this chapter, or the story as a whole, or the concept of soulmates, or anything! I always love hearing what you guys have to say, and let me just say that I have a pretty fleshed out headcanon about this story. If anything doesn't make sense, it's probably because I didn't explain my headcanon really well, so definitely ask any curious questions you have!**

 **I was juggling a few other ideas regarding this concept, but because I have a huge standardized test coming up in a few months, I realized I won't have much time to devote to this. I didn't want to leave you all hanging till April though, so I pumped this chapter out for you all. If I have time, I might come back and explore the idea of soulmates a little more, cause I actually have a lot more in store!**

 **Anyways, sorry for the long wait while I was binging on holiday feasts. Hope everyone is doing well in the new year!**

 **Oh, and here's a thank you for patiently waiting for this chapter!**

* * *

 _EXTRA_

" - can't believe he'd do something like that!" The young blond throws his hands up in the air, a scowl etched across his face. "Who does he think he is, huh? My dad? Hell, even my dad doesn't - ow, oww. Gosh, _seriously_..."

"You okay, Roxas?"

Roxas sighs tiredly, his hands reaching up to massage his temple. "Yeah. I don't know, I've been getting these headaches recently. Actually, they're not really headaches but like...sudden pain? It's weird, cause they're not migraines."

"Did you go to the doctor? Do you have a brain tumor? Is it cause Leonhart's stressing you out? Man, we have to report him to the dean or something - "

"I'm _fine_ , Axel. Seriously, you bring everything back to Leonhart. He's just one professor - _ahh_ ," Roxas complains, tenderly cupping the back of his head. "Dude, it's like someone keeps hitting me over the head."

"Maybe it's a ghost."

"Haha, Axel, you're so funny," Roxas deadpans.

"Didn't you say it was your wrists last time?"

"Not my wrists, but like, my forearms? Here," Roxas says, rubbing the sides of his forearm. "And my knees too."

"Is it arthritis?"

"I'm 21, Axel, thank you very much."

"Maybe too much beach volleyball?"

"You always end up flirting with some girl halfway through so we stop playing."

"I think you're just getting old, Roxas."

"Thanks for being _so_ helpful, Axel."


End file.
